With the proliferation of computer systems and networks to carry out and support many of the activities and communications of modern businesses, a failure of a computer system, software system, network or database may result in extremely extensive downtime which translates into lost revenue and often includes bad publicity. For example, if a network, software system or database application of a bank were impaired, then certain or all financial transactions of the bank may not be able to process until such systems or applications are operable and/or functioning. A need exists to reduce software, network and database failure rates and downtimes while increasing performance and operational efficiency.
Traditionally, software, network and database monitoring and/or management has been confined to hard-wired environments where system administrators or database administrators (DBAs) must be physically present and available at all times in the event that a problem or situation occurs that requires human intervention to fix and correct. For many companies, a system administrator or a DBA employed or utilized by the company on a full time basis is extremely costly. For other companies, recruiting, training and maintaining a staff of system administrators or DBAs is simply not an economically viable option.
The present invention overcomes these deficiencies and limitations of prior techniques by allowing for system, network and/or database monitoring and management from portable handheld wireless devices.
The present invention allows monitoring and maintaining of computer systems, networks and databases using portable, handheld, wireless devices. As a result, system administrators, network administrators and DBAs may be freed from the constraints of their home and office computers and may monitor, update, and fix computer and software systems, networks and databases from any location and at any time. The present invention, therefore, provides an important advantage in a competitive global economy where companies cannot afford lengthy software, network or database failures or downtime, or inadequate response time to address such failures.
However, despite the flexibility provided by wireless devices, such devices introduce a number of different challenges due to their portable and wireless environment. Such challenges include limitations related to transmission and receiving speed (limited by available wireless bandwidth), the periodic loss of signal, reduced device size and reduced display size, and unique security concerns caused by the wireless environment. In addition, for handheld wireless devices, limitations exist regarding data entry; namely, handheld wireless devices typically do not include keyboards, and text may require entering through handwriting and/or other techniques.
A need, therefore, exists for an improved system, method and apparatus for the monitoring and management of computer systems, software systems, networks and databases. In addition, a need exists to reduce failure rates and downtimes while increasing performance and operational efficiency of such systems.